All articles tagged with #rhesus macaques
A woman in Mississippi shot and killed an escaped rhesus monkey out of fear for her children's safety after a truck carrying the monkeys overturned, leading to a search for the remaining animals. The monkeys, housed at Tulane University, were part of a research facility and most were killed in the crash, with authorities confirming the surviving monkey was taken into custody.
Forty-three rhesus macaque monkeys escaped from the Alpha Genesis research facility in Yemassee, South Carolina, after a caretaker failed to secure an enclosure door. The monkeys, which are young females not yet used for testing, remain near the facility, evading capture despite baited traps and thermal imaging efforts. Residents have been advised to secure their homes and avoid contact with the monkeys. Alpha Genesis has a history of USDA violations, including previous monkey escapes.
A novel vaccine candidate known as CF501/RBD-Fc has been found to neutralize SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants BQ.1.1 and XBB in a rhesus macaque animal model. The vaccine comprised the human immunoglobulin G (hIgG) fraction, crystallizable (Fc)-conjugated receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 ancestral WA1 strain, in combination with a novel stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonist-based adjuvant called CF501. The study findings confirm that CF501/RBD-Fc induced highly potent and persistent broad-neutralizing antibody (bnAb) responses against several SARS-CoV-2 variants, including Omicron subvariants.